EXCELSIOR SPRINGS – Excelsior Springs is the first community in the nation to receive silver recognition through the Communities of Excellence Assessment and Recognition Program. Silver is the highest level of recognition awarded through the program. Thrive Excelsior, a community coalition seeking to increase the quality of life and lifespans of city residents, led the effort through the Communities of Excellence, or COE. “The work that COE is doing is to create relationships around a common purpose. We have made an intentional choice to pursue this work, and it is the difference between putting out fires or preventing them. There are so many great quotes that describe what we are doing. I like this one from Helen Keller: ‘Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much,’” City Manager Molly McGovern said. To be considered for recognition, communities complete a self-assessment of their collaboration efforts aft...